97 points - "The third year, and a notably long and cool season. The process here, in general, is fermentation in concrete and oak with a portion of whole bunch, though mostly destemmed, then élevage in older, larger French oak. There’s a little reduction up front but that settles, revealing a moodily scented wine, saline with blackberry pastille, olive, ground cacao nibs, violet and lavender, black cherry, star anise, clove, pepper and mace. It’s a complex wine, more medium in stature, with significant Rhône echoes. Saint-Joseph comes to mind, but this is a wine of site and there’s nothing imitative about the elaboration. Another excellent release; maybe less intense than the '22, but just so detailed." - Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)

97 points - "The accompanying wine notes tell of the latest and coolest vintage yet for this vineyard, but the upshot was a wide picking window combined with small bunches and intense fruit flavours. The result is an absolute stunner of a wine, boasting a layer of what can only – and perhaps a little too lazily – be described as cool climate-inspired spiciness. It’s more inherent than a flat-out feature and to be fair was present in the ’22 release, one ingredient in a complex range of scents and flavours that take in black cherry, plum, cassis with lifted aromatics in rose and pressed flowers and dusty cacao, bitter chocolate and, yes, spices with anise and pepper in the lead. Fruit, oak, tannins and spice are packed tight, an intense youngster that will age a beaut. In the meantime, it’s bright, it dances, it weaves, it’s a seamless engaging young Shiraz of the highest quality." - Jeni Port (Wine Pilot)

96 points - "Very deep, dark, dense red-purple, young and bold. Mixed spices and dried herbs with sage to the fore, purple fruits too, violets and blueberry, which power through on the palate as well. Full bodied yet elegant, with fine, powdery tannins, the entirety lingering on for a long time on the finish and after-palate. Hints of graphite and broken ironstone. A splendid shiraz with great potential for improvement in the cellar." - Huon Hooke (The Real Review)

92 points - "The 2023 Shiraz is reductive upon opening, and this subtly pervades the palate even 20 minutes later. However, the tannins that reside there are finely milled and like graphite, while the fruit is supple, slinky and spiced—the perfect ode to McLaren Vale if ever there was one. A cool wet season was 2023, and here it has produced a finer, lighter iteration of this wine. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap." - Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

90+ points - "It opens quite reductive and sullen, which makes the wine seem a bit hard and ungiving, though given some time, it’s beginning to loosen up somewhat. And all this is fine if you are cellaring it, but if ordering at a restaurant, well it could perhaps present an issue? It’s meaty, spicy and peppery, quite sappy, with a sour blueberry/cherry flavour, tannin has a bit of grainy graphite character and grip, which is good, and the finish has some blood orange tang, iodine, and a bergamot tea thing happening. Quite twiggy and hard is the impression, and kind of stoic. It’s tightly coiled, and I can sense quality underneath, though it’s kind of hard to love. Also, as a result, quite hard to rate. All I can say is it’s not a wine for now, and maybe not one for me. Others, of course, will have their own opinion." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

The Wine
From a cool, late season in McLaren Vale, this wine reflects the benefits of timely rainfall that allowed the old, dry-grown vines to flourish. The signature of the vineyard—a silky mid-palate with long, mineral tannins—is clearly expressed here, along with the depth and intensity of flavour from well-balanced vines and moderate yields.

The palate displays light and shade: driven by pretty red fruits and accented with richer blue fruit notes. Bright acidity and lifted florals provide a delicate filigree to the wine’s underlying structure.

Serving Temperature: 16–18°C

Cellaring Potential: Will develop fine tertiary characters over the next 15 years

ABV: 13.5%

The Vineyard
Located in the heart of Blewitt Springs, MMAD Vineyard is home to:

Grenache vines planted in 1939

Shiraz vines planted in 1941

Chenin Blanc vines planted in 1964

The site is defined by fine Maslin sands over a sub-layer of ironstone pebbles, and benefits from cooling south-west sea breezes. This distinctive combination of sand, ironstone, and maritime influence contributes both perfume and structure to the wines.

The Story
The historic vines of Blewitt Springs are a precious resource and a cornerstone of Australia's viticultural heritage. In early 2021, MMAD Vineyard was founded by a group of four distinguished partners: winemakers Martin Shaw and Adam Wadewitz, and Masters of Wine Michael Hill-Smith and David LeMire. The name MMAD is derived from the initials of the four founders.

The mission behind MMAD wines is to express the unique terroir of Blewitt Springs and honour the rare old vines that continue to thrive in this exceptional location.